Context

When we were pulling together our home learning content for the closure of schools, our staff were stuck between repeating material, or placing unfair pressure on parents to teach new content at home. We found that Tuition Partner Third Space Learning tutors were able to take the pressure off parents by continuing the curriculum at home via weekly online one to one lessons.

We initially used Third Space Learning with our pupils during the first national lockdown and summer 2020. Now, through the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), we’re able to do the same again.

Getting started

It’s been no hassle getting pupils set up from home. I gave the parents my contact details before the first session just in case there were any issues, but no one contacted me. I quickly emailed out and got replies saying the kids loved it and there were no problems.

After each session I receive an email letting me know I can review each pupil’s progress report on Third Space Learning’s platform. I can log on and have a look at the reports straight after each session, so I get a good idea of what’s been covered.

Our focus for the pupils during lockdown has been consolidation. We’ve been uploading work for the children throughout, but we haven’t been focusing on teaching new content because it’s not really fair on the parents. But with Third Space Learning, we can actually have them learn new concepts. They have their tutor there to help them, it’s not reliant on the parents and it’s being taught one to one.

What parents of the pupils using the NTP at home have said

I was speaking to one of the children’s dads recently and I asked how the sessions were going. He said his daughter always comes away buzzing. She’s got really low confidence but she has the same tutor each week and her dad said he could see that they got on really well, so that really helps.

The fact that we’ve been able to use it so easily has been a relief and it’s been good that Third Space Learning has been so flexible.

Another of our pupils’ mum told me that she thought it was priceless for her son to be talking to a tutor and undertaking a lesson in the current climate. She said he’s happy to be learning and socialising outside of the four walls which has made her a very happy mum!

Kevin Presneill is the Deputy Headteacher at Brompton Westbrook Primary School in Gillingham, Kent. They are accessing tuition through NTP Tuition Partner Third Space Learning during lockdown to help pupils continue to learn at home.